As the Piece of the Month for August, the Gaudí Palace’s Museum of the Pathways offers a 17th century peace holder. In this Jacobean Holy Year, the museum offers pieces related to the tradition of Santiago de Compostela, pieces that are exhibited in the Provisorato room, dedicated to the Camino de Santiago. In the portapaz is the apostle representing Santiago Matamoros. Nowadays, after the successive liturgical renovations, the portapaces have lost their functionality. However, they maintain their artistic value as many of them are magnificent works of goldsmithing.
The use of the pacesetters was linked to the moment of the rite of peace in the celebration of the Eucharist, when the celebrants and the faithful kissed the pacesetter. The pieces were designed with a formal architectural disposition, in the manner of portals, with soft reliefs of varied iconography and crowned with a pediment.
The peace holder proposed by the Museo de los Caminos on August 25, of unknown provenance, is a work of gilded, cast and chiseled copper that shows Santiago Matamoros as the main representation. It has lost the gusset where the kiss of peace was to be given and also the rear handle, as well as one of the knobs on the top. It sits on an architectural pedestal, decorated with geometric motifs. The main body of the peace holder is framed by two small columns with smooth shafts and Ionic capitals. It has the form of a semicircular arch, with cherub heads in the spandrels. Inside, the equestrian figure of Santiago wields a sword over his enemies. The upper part, conceived as a semicircular pediment, shows the figure of God the Father with half a body.
The apostle is recurrently represented as a warrior in the 17th century, acting as patron and protector of Spain, starting this war iconography in his miraculous appearance in the legendary battle of Clavijo.
This and more pieces can be visited at the monument and the Museum of the Roads every day from 10:00 to 14:00 and from 16:00 to 20:00 hours.